Can I Continue Doing Cardio?

Posted on Wed, 6 Jan 2021

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 6 Jan 2021 Answered on

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi,

I just did some light cardio for a few minutes and my heart rate went to 174bpm.

I’m 35, 140lbs male.

I had covid in march.

I did a few ekg’s, echo’s and xrays and my heart is fine.

I wanted to know a few things.

Is it normal?
Can i continue doing cardio?
Should i limit?
Is there something i can do to reduce fast heart rate?

Thank you, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Ilir Sharka (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Welcome to Ask a Doctor service!

I passed carefully through your question and would explain that the maximal heart rate is usually calculated: 220-age in years .

This means that at your age, the maximal heart rate would be 220-35=185 bpm.

So, 174 bpm is not concerning. In my opinion you can continue doing cardio, but you should pay attention to your oxygen saturation levels. You can measure them by means of a pulse-oxymeter. Another possible test to consider would be pulmonary function tests.

Another issue to consider would be dehydration, which can lead to an increased heart rate. For this reason taking plenty of water will be necessary when doing cardio.

It is also necessary checking complete blood count for possible anemia, which can also trigger a higher heart rate while doing cardio.

If the increased heart rate persists even during rest, or palpitations, I would recommend performing an ambulatory 24-48 hours ECG monitoring (Holter) in order to examine your heart rhythm trends during a prolonged period of time.

Hope to have been helpful!

I remain at your disposal in case of further questions whenever you need!

Kind regards,

Dr. Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar